Hunter education changes coming

James Altiere of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Hunter Education Program, left, instructs a young hunter in shooting.

Photo | David Rainer

By Robert DeWittOutdoors Writer

Published: Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 11:57 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | With the state’s early Canada goose season kicking off hunting season Sept. 1 and the northern zone dove season following a week later, hunting season will be in full swing in a little more than a month. Those who haven’t taken a hunter education course still have time.

Everyone who was born after Aug. 1, 1977 must take an approved hunter education course in order to buy an Alabama hunting license. Kids who have turned 16 since the end of hunting season must buy a hunting license in the coming year for the first time. Any who haven’t taken the course and want a license have just over a month to take the course.

A two-day hunter education course will be taught in Tuscaloosa County at the Alabama Forestry Commission Office on U.S. Highway 82 on Aug. 26 and 27. Online registration for the class begins today.

The course will be taught in the traditional manner with an instructor and some hands-on instruction.

That’s one of two ways to complete hunter education requirements. For the last few years, an online course was also available.

Students taking the online course must take a test at the end of the course and present the results of the test to Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries officials at a hunter education field day. Then they must complete a hands-on test at the 4-hour field day.

For those who don’t complete a hunter education course, Alabama offers a “mentoring license.” It allows someone to hunt as long as they are under the supervision of and within 30 feet of a licensed hunter who is at least 21 years old.

That process is about to change, said Marisa Futral, Alabama’s Hunter Education Coordinator.

“There are big changes coming in hunter ed this year,” Futral said. “We’re going to an all-online option. We’re basically doing away with field days. Students will now do it all online or they will do it all in person in a traditional course.

“We’re not the first state to go with an online only option. There are four or five states that have been doing it with no negative results.”

Alabama helped pioneer online hunter education courses in the Southeast along with several other states because the number of traditional classes offered wasn’t meeting the demand, Futral said. The courses were matched up with a hunter education field day to ensure that students got some hands-on experience with the reading.

The problem was that people frequently had trouble getting into a field day on short notice, Futral said. There was little way for someone to meet the requirements unless they planned well in advance. That wasn’t always possible.

“We’re trying to make it so that it can be done all in one day,” Futral said. “We’re trying to make it a little more convenient.”

While hands-on experience is always best, Futral said, technology has come a long way. Software vendors have come up with interactive options that make an online course more instructive.

“Two or three other vendors have come along and made major improvements in graphics and interactive videos,” Futral said. “It shows the rifling in a gun. It shows you how to put up a tree stand or how to put on a harness. There are interactive graphics that allow you to simulate loading a gun online.

“Because they’ve made such great strides and the courses are so much better, this offers them a way to get the course that’s more convenient.”

Beginning Sept. 1, people will have a choice of three courses. One difference is that the course was formerly free but now people taking a course must pay a fee. The money goes directly to the vendor and the cost varies between $10 and $25. The higher priced courses have more interactive features.

Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries will continue to offer traditional courses because officials believe that hands-on instruction is the best option.

“We try to do hands-on in our traditional class,” Futral said. “People that want a hands-on class are encouraged to come to a traditional class where instructors are encouraged to do at least half of the course hands-on.”

Alabama began requiring hunter education in 1994 in an attempt to reduce hunting accidents. The state began keeping records on hunting accidents beginning in 1973.

“We had a record of something like 46 hunting accidents in 1973,” Futral said. “In the early years, numbers in the 30s, 40s and even 50s were pretty common. We’ve cut that number in half.”

It might not be possible to make hunting accident-free, but Futral said she believes education has made the sport safer.

“You want them be able to find a class,” Futral said. “You want to give them the tools to help them to hunt safely. You can’t force them to be safe, but you want to give them the tools.”

Reach Robert DeWitt at robert.dewitt@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0203.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | With the state's early Canada goose season kicking off hunting season Sept. 1 and the northern zone dove season following a week later, hunting season will be in full swing in a little more than a month. Those who haven't taken a hunter education course still have time.</p><p>Everyone who was born after Aug. 1, 1977 must take an approved hunter education course in order to buy an Alabama hunting license. Kids who have turned 16 since the end of hunting season must buy a hunting license in the coming year for the first time. Any who haven't taken the course and want a license have just over a month to take the course.</p><p>A two-day hunter education course will be taught in Tuscaloosa County at the Alabama Forestry Commission Office on U.S. Highway 82 on Aug. 26 and 27. Online registration for the class begins today.</p><p>The course will be taught in the traditional manner with an instructor and some hands-on instruction. </p><p>That's one of two ways to complete hunter education requirements. For the last few years, an online course was also available.</p><p>Students taking the online course must take a test at the end of the course and present the results of the test to Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries officials at a hunter education field day. Then they must complete a hands-on test at the 4-hour field day.</p><p>For those who don't complete a hunter education course, Alabama offers a “mentoring license.” It allows someone to hunt as long as they are under the supervision of and within 30 feet of a licensed hunter who is at least 21 years old.</p><p>That process is about to change, said Marisa Futral, Alabama's Hunter Education Coordinator.</p><p>“There are big changes coming in hunter ed this year,” Futral said. “We're going to an all-online option. We're basically doing away with field days. Students will now do it all online or they will do it all in person in a traditional course.</p><p>“We're not the first state to go with an online only option. There are four or five states that have been doing it with no negative results.”</p><p>Alabama helped pioneer online hunter education courses in the Southeast along with several other states because the number of traditional classes offered wasn't meeting the demand, Futral said. The courses were matched up with a hunter education field day to ensure that students got some hands-on experience with the reading.</p><p>The problem was that people frequently had trouble getting into a field day on short notice, Futral said. There was little way for someone to meet the requirements unless they planned well in advance. That wasn't always possible.</p><p>“We're trying to make it so that it can be done all in one day,” Futral said. “We're trying to make it a little more convenient.”</p><p>While hands-on experience is always best, Futral said, technology has come a long way. Software vendors have come up with interactive options that make an online course more instructive.</p><p>“Two or three other vendors have come along and made major improvements in graphics and interactive videos,” Futral said. “It shows the rifling in a gun. It shows you how to put up a tree stand or how to put on a harness. There are interactive graphics that allow you to simulate loading a gun online.</p><p>“Because they've made such great strides and the courses are so much better, this offers them a way to get the course that's more convenient.”</p><p>Beginning Sept. 1, people will have a choice of three courses. One difference is that the course was formerly free but now people taking a course must pay a fee. The money goes directly to the vendor and the cost varies between $10 and $25. The higher priced courses have more interactive features.</p><p>Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries will continue to offer traditional courses because officials believe that hands-on instruction is the best option.</p><p>“We try to do hands-on in our traditional class,” Futral said. “People that want a hands-on class are encouraged to come to a traditional class where instructors are encouraged to do at least half of the course hands-on.”</p><p>Alabama began requiring hunter education in 1994 in an attempt to reduce hunting accidents. The state began keeping records on hunting accidents beginning in 1973.</p><p>“We had a record of something like 46 hunting accidents in 1973,” Futral said. “In the early years, numbers in the 30s, 40s and even 50s were pretty common. We've cut that number in half.”</p><p>It might not be possible to make hunting accident-free, but Futral said she believes education has made the sport safer.</p><p>“You want them be able to find a class,” Futral said. “You want to give them the tools to help them to hunt safely. You can't force them to be safe, but you want to give them the tools.”</p><p>Reach Robert DeWitt at robert.dewitt@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0203.</p>